Instant favorite!

This collection of short stories explores a number of different scenarios that it's hard to find a common demoninator for - maybe humanity's encounters with the unknown? Yeah, that could be a good fit, at least for most of the stories.

I love the way Le Guin creates such vivid societies and cultures for her different worlds! Even though we get but a glimpse of them, there are plenty of worlds I feel I 'get' from what information is available to me. Would definitely like to learn more about said worlds though! The quick glances we get of the worlds are enough to awaken curiousity, but not enough to answer all the questions the glances evoke.

There wasn't any story I disliked or thought was 'meh' in this book. Still, I do have favorites. I adore The Rock That Changed Things because it's so darn powerful, plus the use of a 'carefree' tone to set the mood, only to contrast with what's actually going on, works so very, very well. The Shobies' Story and Dancing to Ganam are wonderful combinations of technology and psychology + reminds you of the central focus storytelling has for us humans as a species. But my favorite story was absolultey Another Story - it introduces the wonderfully complicated cultural rules of the planet O (sedoretu is my new favorite story element!) and time travel; what more can you ask for?

Definitely recommended! Though reading other books set in Le Guin's Hainish Cycle could be good to do first, to familliarize yourself with the universe the last three short stories take place in.